The Unheard Scream
by AislingIsobel
Summary: Raelyn got a call that her brother Cooper was arrested for murdering his fiance. She arrives in London to see her father has employed outside help in the form of Mycroft Holmes' brother to prove Cooper's innocence. Despite the tragedy, Rae is attracted to Sherlock and he to her, but it's a dangerous road when Rae is almost killed. Will Sherlock be able to save both of them?
1. Going Home

**Author's Note - _Damn all the perfect English men!_** That being said...Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock Holmes has moved into my brain and does not want to leave until he makes an appearance on screen, much like some other perfect English man named Tom Hiddleston...

Anyway, this worked it's way out of me tonight so it's my hope that you all will like it as it's my first tiptoe into the world of Sherlock.

**Note - I do not own any of the characters, places or things associated with Sherlock. **

As always, please read, review and enjoy! Thank you!

* * *

Cassandra's screams could be heard from at least a mile away but Cooper couldn't hear them. Not as the man entered the house dragging her behind him by her hair and not as he started to brutally stab her. Then her screaming faded leaving just a carcass of skin, sinew and muscle being practically drained of blood; then just as he was told he covered Cooper in her blood and placed the knife in Cooper's dominant hand before wiping the house of his fingerprints and leaving.

The sirens woke Cooper and he panicked, dropping the knife and looking at his fiance's ravaged body on the floor; her lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling and her limbs in positions not possible for a living human. In his shock he covered her body with his trying to breathe life back into the dead woman, not fully understanding what happened. All he could manage was a sob of her name when Sargent Donovan and Detective Inspector Lestrade came up to get a feel for the crime scene. Cooper looked at the two officers from the New Scotland Yard with unknowing, pleading eyes but all they saw was a murderer and his victim.

* * *

The shrill ring of Raelyn's unsilenced mobile pierced the quiet class room, "Damn," she cursed at herself reaching for the device then looked at her professor who was now glaring at her along with the other 30 students. "Sorry," she mouthed as she went to ignore the call and turn off her phone when the name caught her eye. It was Maxwell, he never called, never. She stared at the name as her phone rang, "Max?" She asked walking out of the classroom.

"Rae, you need to come home, it's Cooper."

* * *

Raelyn was on the next flight to London, she didn't even pack. She couldn't process what had happened. How could Cooper be arrested for murdering Cassandra? She couldn't even cry. As she on the plane completely flummoxed the wheels in her head started to turn and wondered if the officers in charge would let her see any of the evidence photos. Letting out a sigh, probably not, a third year law student and sister of the accused had no place in the investigation. The long flight from Logan to Heathrow was bordering on excruciating when she landed. The dark haired girl grabbed her purse and bolted off the plane as soon as the all clear was given. She saw Max waiting for her and he looked knackered.

"Maxwell, please tell me this is you and Cooper joking," she hugged her brother tightly.

"I wish I could. Come on, Da brought in help."

The siblings left in a cab and traveled 45 minutes to Baker Street. The girl analyzed the flat, wrinkling her nose at it but saw her father's car outside then looked at Max, he nodded. "What are we doing here? I thought that we'd be down at the Yard?"

"Da called in a favor, you remember Mycroft Holmes?"

Rae rolled her eyes and laughed, "Aye, but what's that got to do with Cooper?"

Max rang the bell, "You'll see," he smiled slightly for the first time.

A spritely older woman answered the door, "You must be Raelyn," she smiled. The woman had silver grey hair, deep set brown eyes and willowy figure. Dressed in a lovely purple dress she more than likely had since she was younger it still fit her figure quite nicely. Her voice was very pleasant, almost reminding Rae of her grandmother in Ireland and carried to the upstairs flat and several more footsteps came flooding down the stairs.

"Rae," her father said with joy, pushing past Mrs. Hudson taking his youngest up. "Thank goodness you're here."

"Da, what's going on?" The tears she couldn't find earlier finally started to fall as she hugged her father.

"All will be explained," he put her down. "My apologies Mrs. Hudson just got a bit excited. Raelyn this is Mrs. Hudson."

"Pleasure," she said taking the woman's hand.

"You remember Mycroft Holmes?" Victor asked and his daughter nodded and Mycroft nodded in return. He hadn't changed in the slightest that face, slightly oval and full of arrogance. His tight lips pulled into a small smile when he saw the girl but he still bore a hole into her with his deducing eyes. Those devilish dark blue eyes in that stylish and very expensive suit he wore. Rae's father also worked for the government but he still remained mostly untouched by everything around him, unlike Mycroft or maybe it was his upbringing, the dark haired girl couldn't tell. "And this is Dr. John Watson."

"Raelyn," she extended her hand.

"Just call me John," he smiled at her as he took it and it was a very warm and genuine smile. John made her feel a bit more at ease. John had light brown hair that set off his very stunning hazel eyes and engaging and friendly face. Just a tad taller than Raelyn but he made up for it in personality. His grip strong and deft, those hands were capable of many things. Medium build which filled out his jeans and flannel quite nicely. He did have a few worry creases on his brow and around his mouth, which aged him slightly, but still he was very handsome.

"Call me Rae," she told him in return.

"Come inside for a cuppa, I'm sure you're chilled to the bone," Mrs. Hudson said whisking the girl away from John and into her kitchen. As Raelyn walked past John took in her curvy figure.

Maxwell held John back for a minute, "Don't get any ideas, Doc," he said coolly then walked into the kitchen.

"Aren't you pretty young thing," Mrs. Hudson said pouring the boiling water over a small strainer of loose leaf tea.

"Thank you," Rae said putting one sugar cube and a splash of milk in her tea.

"Yes, you've certainly gotten your mother's looks my dear," Mycroft commented.

The girl scrutinized him with her dark green eyes; it wasn't like Mycroft Holmes to compliment anyone, not that she remembered. Before she could say anything else another set of footsteps came bounding down the stairs, "How many bloody people are in this flat?" She murmured.

Max heard her and quietly laughed mouthing "Ten," as they both smiled a bit.

It was then he entered the small kitchen but everyone else seemed to vanish, even if it was momentarily. This tall and lithe man strolled in with pajamas and a robe no less with devil may care curls around his head. Striking light blue eyes with a hint of gold placed in the middle of this long face that was fitted almost perfectly together; his sharp and high cheekbones, the bow at the top of his full lips and his perfectly light skin. The man's mouth twitched into a smirk as the new arrival then glanced to Max, and then her father before his gaze landed on Mycroft.

"So she's arrived," the richness and depth of his voice brought Rae out of whatever fog she was in.


	2. Sherlock Holmes

**Author's Note -** So, we have a chapter 2, didn't actually think it would happen, but it did, so there is hope for a chapter 3 and so on...so YAY! And hey Sherlock!

Shout outs to **Valerie E Mackin** for the lovely review - glad you're digging it so far!

And shout outs to **Persephone Targaryen** for the follow, thank you!

And a shout goes to **Rhanon Brodie** for helping me keep the cork in when it needed it.

Please enjoy, read and review! Thank you!

* * *

The girl turned and extended her hand but the tall man waved her off, "Raelyn Verity Hale, youngest daughter of Victor and Miraya Hale, third year Harvard Law, quite a feat for someone of 23," he smiled at her slightly and then actually took a look at her, studying the girl before continuing, "Both your Irish and Indian features are present, dark green eyes and black hair, yet your Irish accent is prominent, as a result of spending more time with your father's relatives. Middle name is a derivative of Latin meaning truth and your brothers have similar names, which remains to be seen," he raised his eyebrows almost as if he expected applause.

Rae looked at him eyebrows raised, not exactly knowing what to think of this man before her who had just read almost her entire life story in a matter of moments. The Irish girl smoothed her appearance as she took a sip of tea, "Mycroft your brother seems to take after you in pompousness," she smiled at Maxwell who laughed a bit.

"Observant," the younger Holmes said leaned down taking a seat next to the youngest Hale, "good." His lips curled into a bigger smile, "John, it's a nine!" His voice was giddy and his eyes never left Rae's.

She pushed back a bit in repulsion, "Are you saying, Mr. Holmes that my brother's case didn't warrant your attention until I arrived?" Her face was almost flushed with her eyebrows now knitted tightly together, glowering at the observant man.

"He didn't mean…" John started to say when Max stopped him.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Rae's brother shook his head giving the quiet warning.

"Raelyn," Victor scolded her softly, "Sherlock has offered to help where the police aren't, so darlin' I think we might want to let him."

The girl looked at her father still fuming for a moment but then remembered this was Cooper, she needed to keep her focus on him. She let out a sigh, "Aye, Da, I'm sorry," turning her green eyes to Sherlock, "If it means anything, I apologize to you as well Mr. Holmes."

Sherlock stood, smile still plastered on his face, "Miss Hale, much to your chagrin I was consulting on this case even before your father hired me. The facts are simply far too interesting. Your brother claims he was home sleeping and didn't hear his fiancé shrieking only feet from their bedside as she was killed then only to be woken moments later by distant sirens." He paced around the table and Rae listened intently, this was the first time she had heard what happened. "Then when the DI and Sargent arrive he sobs out her name but there is a note attached to her body with your name written on it. Why do you think that is?"

Rae dropped her cup and it shattered splashing tea and porcelain at her feet. Her hands were shaking as she looked up at her father with wide fear filled eyes then to Max who nodded. The girl turned to Sherlock as Mrs. Hudson cleaned up the mess. "I-I-I," she stammered not knowing what to say, "Why w-w-would m-m-my name…"

"Think Raelyn, think," he said as he sat next to her and took her shaking hands, "You're my missing piece. They wanted to get to you through Cooper. Why would they do that? Obvious, you're very close with your family and they need you here. It worked. Do you know anyone that would want to harm you?"

Rae just looked at the tea stains on her stockings; she couldn't look Holmes in the eyes any longer without crying and shook her head. She ran through her memory trying to think of someone, anyone that would want to harm her or her family. Nothing, not a single name came to mind, just blank. She looked up and Sherlock's eyes were pleading with her for a name or a hint of anything, but she vacantly shook her head again.

"I think I better take me girl home," Victor said, "Thank you Mr. Holmes, if she thinks of anything I'll be giving you a call." Rae's dad scooped her up and Max followed behind.

"Well Sherlock you do seem to have a way with young ladies," Mycroft snipped.

"She's in shock; she'll get over it and figure it out. I need her to," Sherlock retorted.


	3. Breakthrough

**Author's Note -** So there is a chapter 3...and a villain has emerged from my brain (_insert evil laugh and twirling mustache_). I'm having a ton of fun with this, hope all of you are too! Thank you all for reading!

Huge thanks to **Valerie E Mackin** - thank you for the wonderful reviews! You're awesome woman!

And more enormous thanks go to **Zipmyheart & Rose1234** for following/adding as a favorite! :-D

Well that's enough from me, please enjoy, read and review! Thank you!

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Rae's head spun as the car passed the lights in the city, they blurred in her vision making trails. Everything looked familiar and vague at the same time; she hadn't been home since Cooper and Cass announced their engagement, London felt almost alien. Colder than her Boston home and darker; and now she had to deal with a psychopath as well? Someone had murdered Cassandra and framed Cooper to get to her, why? Who? These were questions that neither she nor the younger Holmes had answers to. If there was a note about her why was Cooper still in custody? Rae so badly wanted to talk to Cooper find out what happened that day leading up to Cassandra's murder. It might give her some clue as to who left her that note. The dark haired girl shifted in her seat to talk to Max but the car pulled to a stop at the wrong time and the force caused her to hit her head.

"Ow, damn," she mumbled rubbing her forehead. Getting out of the car, "Da, why is Cooper still locked up?" she asked quietly.

Her father looked at her somberly, "They don't believe Sherlock. The note was in Cassandra's handwriting."

"But…" she paused, "Cass never wrote to me…"

Victor nodded, "I know darlin', but let's get some sleep before we go crime solvin'."

Rae walked up the stairs to her old room, thankful she still had clothes here. It didn't make any sense. She got along well enough with Cass, didn't know any of her mates though. Hadn't had much contact with Cooper since he got engaged with the wedding planning and her schooling. Most of her contact of home was through Max and her best mate Siobhan, but she was in Ireland; no one in London that she could think of. Not that she had contact with anymore. The girl flicked on the light and her childhood room was just as she left it, hadn't changed since her mum passed.

Pulling out a nightie and changed for bed she knocked over the jewel box. It popped open and started playing "You Are My Sunshine". A small smiled crossed Raelyn's face as she picked it up and listened to it play for a moment, then she slammed it shut. Tears stung her eyes as her mum's voice filled her ears. Putting the box on the dresser she turned off the light and crawled into bed.

Her slumber was anything but pleasant, the haunting voice of her mother replayed over and over along with Cassandra's screams that Cooper didn't hear. Her eldest brother sobbing over and over that he didn't kill the woman he loved and another voice started to sing to her. It started slow and then taunted her, Rae knew the voice. Someone who knew her family, someone she grew up with, the only other person besides her mother to call her "Sunshine" and sing that song to her. She bolted upright panting and drenched in sweat. Rae flopped out of bed and flung herself down the stairs, she had to call Sherlock before she forgot what just happened. Victor was still up when she walked into the study.

"Raelyn…" he started at her frightful appearance.

"Not now Da, I need to call him before I forget. Where's his number?"

Victor picked up his mobile off the desk and dialed Sherlock's number, it rang and the girl paced impatiently. The line clicked on, "Raelyn?"

"Callum Bannister," they said in unison.

The girl sat down hard on a chair "How did you know?" She was so stunned she didn't feel the pain in her backside.

"It's the only thing that fits. The only one that knew you and Cassandra before you left for the states," Holmes smiled on the other end of the line. "Come over in the morning and we'll discuss it. Get some rest if you can." Sherlock clicked off the phone and laughed slightly, "Bright girl."

"She called you?" John asked from the stairs.

"Indeed she did John," he said as he went to his laptop looking up Callum Bannister. "We have a suspect."

Victor looked at his daughter with eyebrows raised, "What does Callum have to do with this?" Cal was, by all intents and purposes a nice boy. Quiet, understated and proper, he grew up with Raelyn, someone the family trusted. Someone Victor trusted enough with his only daughter.

Rae shook her head, "I'm not sure, but something about the note and Cooper not hearing anything and then an odd connection to 'Sunshine'."

"Your ma's name for ya," he clarified.

She nodded, "Cal used to call me Sunshine and sing that song to me. He used to write it to me in letters too. The note, that was on Cass…"

"Raelyn," Victor tried to stop her, his voice was stern but she wasn't giving up.

"I'll know for sure after this Da," she pleaded with him and he relented. "Did it call me Raelyn or Rae?"

"It wasn't just your name darlin'," he told her, "It said, 'My Rae of Sunshine'."


	4. Intrigue

**Author's Note -** A bit of writer's block but hopefully it's all cleared because, hey Chapter 4!

A few shouts before the chapter as always!

**Valerie E Mackin** - Thank you for the review, sorry this took a bit, I'm glad that you're liking it so far!

**Aeronwen** & **sketchyybitch** - thank you for following/adding to favorites! You guys are awesome!

So as always, please enjoy read and review! Thank you!

* * *

The dark haired girl's head spun with the new information and her breathing became erratic. Whoever had killed Cassandra was targeting her. Victor handed Raelyn a valium and a glass of water. She downed both without question. This mystery was getting out of hand and fast. There was one thing for certain; Raelyn was in danger while she was in London. The drug induced sleep the Irish girl fell into was troubled she woke up just hours later covered in cold sweat. Her head ached from all the information she had absorbed in such a short time.

Rae took a long hot shower to try and wash away some of the anxiety. It helped a bit, but she was still shaky as they pulled up to Sherlock's flat. Her father escorted her in as she was having trouble walking on her own. John helped her up the stairs as Mrs. Hudson put on a kettle for tea. Sherlock was staring into the soft glow of his laptop with another man standing over him looking at something intensely. Rae was pulled into the present by the smelled of antiseptic and what was most likely formaldehyde. Dr. Watson and her father held her steady and led her to a chair.

"You told her," Holmes said not turning from the screen.

"She figured it out," Victor answered.

A smiled widened the deductive man's face as he turned to the ashen girl, "Did you now," he said as he stood, he sounded impressed almost. "Detective Inspector Lestrade, Raelyn Hale, our 'Rae of Sunshine'."

The DI looked her up and down, "You're positive?"

Sherlock scoffed a bit, "Have I ever been wrong?" He knelt before the girl before Lestrade could answer, "Did you think of anything else," he asked holding her hands. Raelyn just shook her head slightly. Holmes smiled again, "Good for us I did," he gave her hands a squeeze before getting up.

"You found something," Lestrade questioned.

"Well, to be more accurate, I added onto what Raelyn found," he motioned to her.

The dark haired girl looked at the DI and something snapped. He would have been the one on scene when Cooper was arrested. Why was he here, did he believe that someone else was killed Cass? "Cal Bannister." Her brogue broke through the silence and all eyes were on her. She looked at Lestrade, "You don't believe that Cooper killed her do you?"

The Detective Inspector turned to her, glanced at Sherlock then back to Raelyn, "Something never added up right. Plus, this one here keeps going on and on about that note. Tell me about this Bannister." Sherlock opened his mouth to speak but was cut off, "Not you, the girl."

Rae took a deep breath as the DI sat in front of her, "Cal and I grew up together; spent summers at me grandmas in Kilkenny. Childhood sweethearts we were, until I started takin' me schoolin' seriously. We were both sharp as whips, but it came more naturally to Cal than it did to me so I had to study more."

"What does this have to do with your brother & his fiancé?" Lestrade probed.

Raelyn nodded, "I'm getting there. Cal was the only other person to call me 'Sunshine'. It was my ma's pet name for me. And he got into Uni on scholarship for chemistry. Sherlock said my brother didn't wake up until he heard the sirens. It could be the work of one of Cal's concoctions."

The DI considered the angle carefully. That note was a bit of a head scratcher, no one could figure it out. Everyone else, except Sherlock had chocked it up to the victim writing her soon to be sister-in-law. There was always the fact that Cooper Hale maintained his innocence and still grieved for the loss of the woman he loved. His sister and Sherlock could be onto something with this Bannister fellow, but that still didn't explain everything, no prints other than Cooper's and the victim's, no forced entry, and the note in the victim's handwriting.

"What more do you have to think about," Sherlock asked the DI very impatiently.

"The other counts of evidence that still prove Cooper was the only one there," Lestrade answered loudly. "Sorry Miss, but I need more to go on before we can let him go."

Rae looked to her father who nodded slowly, "I know Detective Inspector, but it's something."

Lestrade stood but handed her his card, "If you think of anything else call me."

"Can I see him?"

"Pardon Miss?"

"Can I see Cooper? I need to talk to him to get the whole story."

Rae and her father followed Sherlock, John and Lestrade to the prison where Cooper was being held. Sherlock took her back to a waiting Cooper. He saw Rae and lit up, it had been the first time Cooper had smiled in weeks. The dark haired girl ran to hug her brother and the both of them just burst into tears.

"Wha' are ya doin' here?"

"Max called and said ya were up to no good as usual, had ta come bail ya out," she sobbed but a light laugh broke the end of her cry.

"Aye, I see ya met Mr. Holmes. Ya should'na come Raelyn, they're after ya," he looked her dead in the eye.

"What else do ya know?" she looked at him quizzical, needing to know every piece of this puzzle.

Cooper shook his head, "Everythin' I know I've told ta the Yard an' ta Sherlock. Ya're a lot alike," he nudged her.

"Cooper, please," she begged.

Her brother nodded and recalled his story once again, "It was a typical nigh' out for me an' Cass; dinner, then arguin' about a show which we never did see; we came home. I went ta bed early, nasty headache, while she watched telly." Cooper paused as tears fell from his eyes as he continued, "the next thin' I remember is hearin' sirens and seein' Cass dead on our bedroom floor."

Rae cried with him but as she wiped her tears away, she knew there something that wasn't adding up, "When ya were out at dinner, did ya see anyone?"

Her older brother thought for a moment, then a realization hit, "Yeah, we ran inta Cal, had a friend with him."

There it was the connection to Callum Bannister. He had seen Cooper and Cassandra that night before she was murdered. This tiny oversight could save Rae's big brother. The dark haired girl turned to Sherlock and his eyes widened with excitement, this was turning into quite the intrigue.


End file.
